>
> Esther,
>
> No I have not heard stories of black mold developing inside the  
> Sleep Number bed, but I am glad you mentioned it, so that I can  
> check periodically and air it out.  I wonder if enclosing it in an  
> allergy zip cover would trap moisture inside?  I guess I will have  
> to experiment and find out.  I did a search on the internet and  
> found many articles on Sleep Number bed complaints.
>
> Here is an exerpt from an article entitled:  "Sleep Number Bed  
> Complaints":
> http://sleep.lovetoknow.com/Sleep_Number_Bed_Complaints
>
> "Mold: One of the most significant complaints of the
> Sleep Number bed is the possibility of developing mold. The mattress
> has a design with air chambers under foam layers. Over time, the
> development of mold can happen between these layers. The company  
> claims
> to have redeveloped the materials to ensure mold growth does not  
> occur.
> The presence of mold spores can lead to the development of asthma in
> some individuals."
>
> I do not know if I have the redeveloped model or not.  I could not  
> find a site with pictures of the different models. I think mine is  
> just the basic one with no bells and whistles.
>
> The article below rates all the complaints, with the mold complaint  
> being the last on the list:
> http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/review-sleep-number2.html
>
> "Complaint / Problem #8: Mold
> About 3% of owners say that mold is present between the foam and air
> chambers. A small number of these owners report feeling ill because of
> the mold. Mold / mildew problems in a Sleep Number Bed is a widely
> publicized and discussed issue. However, the number of owners who have
> a mold problem, or at least are aware of having such a problem, is
> small based on our collected data involving 1,600 owners."
> I appreciate the info on the gortex beds.  Is that the Aerobed?
>
> No, an Aerobed has an electric plug in pump and when it is blown up  
> they are quite large, about the size of a real mattress.  I have an  
> Aerobed but do not use it because I have not place to put it to off-
> gas.  The gortex camping air mattresses are just a mat that you can  
> roll up.  They are about an inch or two thick.  They have a small  
> black nozzle in the corner that you untwist,  which lets the air  
> in.  When it is inflated, you screw the nozzle back down.  The  
> thicker longer ones that fold in 3 are more comfortable.  They are  
> just camping mats for temporary situations.  .
>
> Do you know if the mechanism that does the inflating has metal in  
> it?  If so, did it cause a problem for you?
>
> The pump used to inflate the Sleep Number bed is plastic with a  
> plastic tube running to the mattress bladder.  I do not see any metal.
>
> The reason I am using a Sleep Number bed is because I got it cheap  
> from a friend.  I am not so sure I would have paid retail for it.  
> From the articles I read, it sounds like these mattresses do have a  
> few issues, which I hope I can work around.  Good luck on finding a  
> mattress that works for you.
>
> C. Johnson
> [hidden email]
> Wireless Refugee
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>